Wendy Wood

Dr. Wendy Wood is a leading expert in the science of human behavior and habit formation. Wood is the Provost Professor Emerita of Psychology and Business at the University of Southern California. She completed her bachelor's degree at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign and her doctorate at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Wood has held faculty positions at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, Texas A&M University as the Ella C. McFadden Professor of Liberal Arts, and Duke University, where she served as the James B. Duke Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience.

Wood's research centers on the nature of habits and their influence on behavior, with findings indicating that about 40% of people's everyday actions are performed habitually. Her work demonstrates that habits can be initiated independently of intentions and often occur with minimal conscious control. Wood has explored topics such as how individuals revert to old habits, the role of good habits in achieving goals, strategies for changing unwanted habits, social media usage patterns, and how interaction habits contribute to discrimination in social groups. Her research integrates insights from social psychology, neuroscience, and cognitive science.

Wood is the author of the science book "Good Habits, Bad Habits." In "Good Habits, Bad Habits: The Science of Making Positive Changes That Stick," she explains how understanding the science of habits can support lasting behavioral change. The book was recognized by The Washington Post and San Francisco Chronicle as a top ten book and received a starred review from Publishers Weekly. Wood's work has been featured in The New York Times, NPR, Washington Post, and on programs such as Freakonomics Radio.

Wood is a fellow of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, the Association for Psychological Science, and the Society for Experimental Social Psychology, and is a founding member of the Society for Research Synthesis Methodology. She has served as president of both the Society for Personality and Social Psychology and the Association for Psychological Science. Her research has received recognition through awards such as a Radcliffe Institute fellowship, the Distinguished Contribution Award from Attitudes and Social Influence, and the Career Contribution Award from the Society for Personality and Social Psychology. Wood has published more than 100 articles, with research support from organizations including Procter & Gamble, the National Science Foundation, the Templeton Foundation, and the Radcliffe Institute.

Wood is a frequent speaker at scientific conferences and professional gatherings, and delivered the inaugural address in Paris for the Sorbonne-INSEAD Distinguished Chair in Behavioral Science. She has addressed organizations such as the World Bank, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Department of Health and Human Services. In her presentations on the science of habits, Wood discusses the limitations of willpower in long-term behavior change, the importance of environment in supporting new behaviors, and strategies for repeating actions to establish sustainable habits.